The banana diaries

Happy Valentine's Day!

Not a bad start to the week, in my opinion! I believe that it's a day for all to celebrate, whether you're coupled up or single. It's a day that celebrates love: with a partner, with friends, with family, and most importantly with yourself. While I love spending Valentine's Day with my boyfriend (this will be our second one together!), it's also a gentle (or I guess, rather blatant) reminder to love myself as much as I love the people around me.

So what does self-love look like? Well, it varies from person to person, depending on what you like and don't like, but a few things are constants. Self-love demonstrates acceptance, respect, and care of one's body, mind, and soul.

For me, this means feeding my body with nourishing, good food and not restricting or calorie counting. It also means pushing my body when I feel the energy and acknowledging when I need to slow down. It means practicing yoga (and I mean a dedicated practice! Not every now and then!), taking time to paint, and running outside. It means hanging out with friends, family, and the boyf, but also cherishing my time alone with myself. It means putting my opinion of who I am above everyone else's and not bashing myself with negative self-talk. It means being happy in the body I was given and with the person that I am.

Here are some things that I like to do for self-love. The list could go on, believe me, but I thought I'd give you a few ideas to kickstart your path to wellness:

Take a bubble bath! Light a few candles, dim the lights, and play some mood music. Indulge yourself​

Make loose-leaf tea and be mindful of the process. Watch the leaves unfurl as they steep

Call a friend or a family member and catch up

Take a walk in a park

Play with your pets

Sign up for a fitness class that you've been dying to take

Go to yoga or unroll your mat at home!

Watch a movie that's been sitting in your queue for a few months

Make yourself a nourishing meal or treat!

Which brings me to my next topic...Chocolate Avocado Mousse! Because what's Valentine's Day without some Chocolate? ;)

This mousse is the bomb. It's loaded with healthy fats that keep your brain going and your bones strong thanks to the yummy avocado! (Side note: I have a deep love for avocado. If we're being honest, I a whole avocado almost every day. No shame!). Thanks to the cacao powder, it's also filled with vital antioxidants that are good for your heart and mind! But the most important part is that every bite is smooth, velvety, creamy, sweet, and chocolatey. Now we're talking.

Did I mention this is also a sugar-free recipe? Yep. No sugar. Zero. None. Nil. Pretty sweet, huh? I used stevia powder to sweeten the mousse, but not the white stevia you find at grocery stores! It's a green powder, the actual stevia leaf crushed up (Psst! Stevia should be green in the first place!). You can buy some here!

And now for the recipe :)

Chocolate Avocado Mousse

Serves 2-3Ingredients:

2 very ripe avocados

1/2 cup raw cacao powder

1-2 tsp stevia powder, depending on how sweet you like it

1 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch of pink himalayan salt

1/4 to 1/2 cup filtered cold water (can sub for any type of milk you like!)

Instructions:

Using a food processor, place the peeled avocados in the bowl and puree until smooth.

Add in cacao powder, stevia, vanilla, salt, and water and mix until well combined.

Scoop into a big bowl, cover it, and store in the fridge for at least an hour or until ready to eat!

Well, hello there, loves!

How has everyone been? For me, it's been a busy few months! Lots of work, lots of family, lots of writing (not for the blog, unfortunately), but I'm back once again! The holidays were great- it was a nice pause from the hectic NYC living. You don't realize that you're going going going all the time until you stop, and that's just what happened. It was good to recharge and refocus for the New Year, and I'm happy to be back!

To start off the New Year, my boyfriend and I took a trip to Montreal, Canada! It was absolutely incredible. If you want to go to Europe, but can only go away for the weekend, this is the place to be. I felt like I was walking around an old French town with cobble stone streets and colorful floral window boxes that popped against grey stone. We explored the art museums and Old Montreal, as well as Miles End (think New York's Brooklyn!). The part I loved most (aside from the Fine Arts Museum) was the eating! This city was filled with amazing restaurants that were local, fresh, and many times gluten-free! A full review of our time attempting to be esteemed restaurant critics to come ;)

Now for the most recent news! So for the past two weeks (yesterday was the official two-week marker!), I have been diligently following Dr. Kelly Brogan's 30-Day Mind Body Reset. As you probably already know, I have struggled with OCD, depression, and an eating disorder in the past. Lately, though, my depression and OCD symptoms have been creeping back in. After years of therapy and medications, I wanted to look at the problem in a new light and solve it for good this time. That's when I discovered Dr. Brogan.

What Dr. Brogan's plan calls for is complete elimination of dairy, caffeine, gluten (including all grains, but gluten-free grains are allowed after the 30 days!), soy, sugar (except fruit!), and alcohol. It's basically the Whole30 diet, and then some (which sounds super scary, but really isn't! I promise!). What you're probably thinking is, "Well, what can I eat?" and the answer is A LOT! All of the most beautiful organic fruits and veggies you can think of, healthy fats (LOAD UP!) like avocado and coconut oil, grass-fed meats (yes, read meat), and sustainable fish. You'd be surprised at how creative I can get with this array of ingredients.

Cutting out the gluten wasn't an issue, since I'm already gluten-free, and though I love my nightly Halo top ice cream cap, I'm surprisingly not missing it as much as I thought I would. Giving up my five cups of black coffee and the occasional glass (or two) of red wine was the hard part. The headaches that ensued from not having my caffeine fix were dreadful, but after a few days, I felt like my energy levels shot up! Once I have fully completed the 30 days, I'll be back with a more detailed update on how I did. For now, I just want to share with you this amazing "oatmeal" recipe I found on Bravo for Paleo.

Like the title suggests, it's an oatless banana oatmeal!! Made with an extra ripe banana and an organic, free-range egg, this yummy bowl is super filling, satisfyingly sweet, and satiating for hours. To be honest, it tastes like banana bread fresh out of the oven! I like to top mine with frozen organic berries, nut butter, sprouted nuts, and coconut butter :)

This oatmeal is also completely paleo-friendly, Whole30-friendly, gluten-free, processed sugar-free, and all natural. Plus, it only takes 10 minutes! Check it out, and let me know what you like to top yours with!

Hope you have a great start to the week!

Hello, loves!

Today I have to tell you about Chalk Point Kitchen because:1) It's all organic2) They use only sustainable, local fare3) They cater to the Glutenoids, like myself4) Every dish is absolutely mouthwateringNeed more convincing? Okay, so here's the lowdown:

To celebrate my boyfriend's birthday, he picked CPK as our dinner spot last Thursday. Located in the heart of Soho, it's an easy 5-minute walk from either the C train or the 1 train. It's also right next to tons of really cute shops. Shopping trip and great noms? Win win. Not only do they serve dinner, but they also serve BRUNCH (which is fantastic, by the way, but we'll focus on dinner today because we still have four days till the weekend haha!).

After we were seated, we were promptly served homemade pickle spears in lieu of a bread basket. They already won my heart at that point! To start, we both ordered the Vegan Autumn Wedge for ourselves (because it's way too good to share).

For our mains, I ordered the Roasted Spinelli Squash, he had the Grass-fed Cast Iron Ribeye, and we split a side of roasted Brussels sprouts. Oh my gosh, was it all amazing.

Everything was just right; not too salty, not too seasoned, and not too done. We literally cleaned our plates, and why not? It's food you that you don't have to worry about being laden with chemicals and additives. Just good-for-you food that tastes good too! Plus, it's fun to not have to cook or worry for once; I get into ruts of measuring, so when it's out of my hands, I really try not to worry about it. Focus on the meal in front of you, and stop thinking about the future.

And at CPK, I really can just relax. It feels good not to worry, and we definitely plan on going back soon! Adding this to our top favorite restaurants :)

Guys, I know it's been a while.

Three weeks and two days to be exact.

Where have I been?! Well, the day after my last post, I started a new job! And it's one that I really enjoy :) That being said, it has also taken up a lot of my time. The adjustment period has been real. With early mornings and late nights, I'm still trying to work out a schedule that gives me time to run, write blog posts, test recipes, do well at my job, and most importantly: enjoy life.

​I know that it can be done. I know that many have full-time jobs while balancing blogging, the commitments that come with it, and family/friends/social life/insert life goal here. But I'm new to this, and so I need a little time to adjust. Right now, things feel a little out of whack; I'm loving my job and I'm still running (but still take that required rest day), but I so desperately miss painting (which I got to do a little this past weekend!) and writing. So I took a few steps forward in some respects, and fell off the wagon in others. That's okay though! It's a give-and-take process that requires a little canoodling to hit the sweet spot. I want to keep writing, painting, running, pursuing my career, and enjoying actually living, and so I will (RE: Gratefulness).

Speaking of being thankful, how was everyone's Thanksgiving? For me, it was a milestone in many ways. Not only was I able to celebrate with my immediate family (Mama, Dad, lil' sis, and lil' bro), but I was also able to celebrate with my family friends and my boyfriend's family. That's a lot of love in one holiday- but I'm not complaining ;)

On the real Turkey Day, my family, my boyfriend, and I went to my family friend's house for dinner, and then the day after, my boyfriend's family had another Thanksgiving dinner. TWO big dinners. TWO nights of drinking (wine, but still, I get groggy from alcohol easily). TWO nights of big desserts (which really isn't any different than my normal routine, but when it follows several glasses of vino rosso and pounds of turkey, it definitely feels bigger than normal haha!). TWO nights of laughter, relaxation, and gratefulness. I wouldn't have it any other way.

This was also the first time in years that I did not count calories. Not one single calorie, gram of fat, mg of sodium, nada. I ate till I was comfortable, and if I wanted seconds (you better believe I grabbed two slices of the pumpkin pie you're about to make), I got seconds because I deserved it. I didn't deserve it because I worked out like a maniac hours before and I didn't deserve it because I restricted all day. I deserved it because I deserve freedom from the obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors that thwarted me from eating and enjoying meals before. Why not enjoy another helping of beautiful roasted acorn squash drizzled in coconut oil and pomegranate seeds? Why not pour myself a second glass of wine because I'm finally enjoying myself and living outside of my head?

So needless to say, I had a great Thanksgiving that extended over two days, and I wasn't upset about it in the slightest. But now that I've talked enough about this pumpkin pie I made (I know you've been drooling over the pictures...I see you over there!), I want to share the recipe with you so that you can make it for the rest of the holiday season!

This pumpkin pie was a huge hit! Made with a pumpkin seed crust, it's entirely gluten and sugar free! And if you're vegan, you could easily make this without eggs (see substitutions below). This pumpkin pie is:

CreamySweetAromaticHeavenlyNutmegy (yes, I'm making that a word)The perfect combo of crunchy and smooth

Try it out below! Following this post, I am aiming to be posting at least once every week with either a new recipe, restaurant review, or life update. Stay tuned, and let me know how you like it!

Pumpkin Pie

Serves 8Ingredients:​Crust:

2 cups pepitas, unsalted

2-3 tbsp melted organic coconut oil

1/2 tsp pink himalayan sea salt

Filling:

1 can organic pumpkin puree (NOT filling!)

2 eggs*

1/2 cup granulated stevia**

1 tsp organic vanilla extract

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp cloves

1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk***

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the crust: start by grinding the pepitas in a food processor. Be sure not to grind them into a paste- just enough so that it's crunchy looking!

Add in coconut oil and sea salt to the food processor and blend until combined.

Press pepitas mixture into a 9" pie dish until you form the entire crust.

Place in the oven and bake for 7-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool while making the filling.

To make the filling: combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and blend with a hand mixer.

Once all combined, pour filling into the pie crust dish.

Place in the oven (still at 350 F), and bake for 50-60 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool for an hour to set. Then place in the refrigerator, covered, to let solidify before serving.

Enjoy with homemade whip cream and/or ice-cream!

​*VEGAN OPTION: substitute 2 eggs for 6 tbsp flax seeds in 2 tbsp water**If you don't like the taste of Stevia, another option is to cut it in half, using 1/4 cup organic maple syrup and 1/4 stevia (or coconut sugar). You really don't taste a distinct stevia flavor, you just taste sweetness!***If nut free, coconut milk or soy milk are both great options!

Have a wonderful Tuesday!

So, who else watched the marathon yesterday?!

It was intense! Unfortunately, I didn't get to watch it in person this year (hopefully next), but believe me, I didn't miss a beat. After taking my run early Sunday morning, I hopped on the treadmill and turned on the marathon (one of my favorite ways to watch it...why not run alongside them?!). Molly Huddle, one of my running idols, took third this year, which was huge, considering this was her first marathon!

Guys. Her FIRST marathon.

Now that's impressive. My mile log so far for this week is a little less impressive, BUT I did get the chance to run at my favorite beach because I was home for the weekend :) Here's the log, with project runs for the rest of the week:

PUMPKIN PIE FRAPPUCINO.

Oh, yes. This is real. It's Sugar Free, Gluten Free, easy to make, and so. freaking. good. I'm still on my pumpkin kick since it's finally feeling like fall and Thanksgiving is right around the corner! Plus, pumpkin is just an amazing super food. Try it out!

Pumpkin Pie Frappucino

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 cup brewed coffee, chilled

1/4 cup organic pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie spice

1/2 frozen banana

1 tsp organic vanilla extract

1-2 packets stevia

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender or nutribullet

Blend until smooth and creamy

If you like it more icy, add a handful of ice to it to make it even frothier!

Have a great Monday!

HELLO OUT THERE!

I'm so sorry it's been so long since I last posted! There have been many changes and new, exciting happenings in the works that I haven't had a chance to catch up here. I kept telling myself, Just write a post tomorrow morning, it'll be fine. Then, tomorrow morning would come, andddd I'd find myself too busy to just sit down and write. Well, now here we are! Also can we take a moment and acknowledge that it's already Halloween?! Where did October go...

Anyways! So last week was my last full week at my old job before I start my new job in two weeks!! Okay, now it's like a week and a half. But still, I'm super pumped for what's to come, and I'm definitely enjoying this much needed break. I've been keeping up my mileage this week, but also enjoying some extra zzz's because I have seriously been running on empty (yes, literally and figuratively). Below is what my mileage has looked like for the week so far:

To be honest, my body is feeling a little beat this week, so I'm absolutely taking a rest day Saturday (and maybe Sunday if I feel like I need it!). I also have spending some time whipping up some new recipes for the blog, which I'm so excited to share with you next week! But first, I wanted to send you off for the weekend on an Autumn-tastic good note: pumpkin muffins.

Fluffy.Sweet.Soft.Moist.Pumpkin Spicey!

What better way to bring in the last weekend of October than with pumpkin muffins?! And for all of you health nuts out there, pumpkin has some great benefits too. Research shows that the antioxidants found in pumpkin can improve your eyesight (thank you, beta-carotene) and protect your heart. It also is chock full of tryptophan, which we all know helps us sleep (it's also found in turkey, a.k.a. why you sleep so well after Thanksgiving haha!), but people often forget that this amino acid is extremely important in the production of serotonin, which then boosts your mood :) Pretty cool, huh?

Check out the recipe below, and let me know how you like it! Happy Halloween!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Gooooood Monday Morning!

How was everyone's weekend? We had a blast exploring the Farmer's Market at Union Square this past Saturday, as well as strolling through Central Park! We also had some fantastic meals out, including a date night at The Little Beet Table and brunch at Two Hands Cafe. No complaints here!

I absolutely love the Farmer's Market in Union Square. They host it every Saturday, bringing in local farms and companies from New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey. I could easily spend an entire day (and wallet haha) there going from stand to stand! Last night, we decided to make a feast out of alllll of our farmer's market treasures, including what I believe to be the star of the meal, the delicata squash!

Lately, spaghetti squash has been getting all the love (and it truly is a wonderful fall veggie that's chock full of nutrients!). Often times, however, people forget about the delicata squash (a.k.a. winter squash), which is equally as nutritious and tastes like a sweet potato (bonus: you can eat the skin!! Probably the best part of it too!). These guys are actually full of antioxidants, including a healthy dosing of Vitamins A, C, and B's, as well as a decent amount of fiber and manganese. This means that roasting up a delicata squash will give you optimal bone health (YO, RUNNERS! READ: STRESS-FRACTURE PREVENTION). The winter squash also has anti-inflammatory benefits, important for muscle and tissue recovery after hard exercise! It may even be beneficial in cancer prevention. I can't get enough of this squash!

Alongside our squashes, we sautéed some organic zucchini, chard, and beet leaves in coconut oil, roasted some baby beets, and seared grass-fed steak! It was probably my favorite meal this weekend. Check out the recipe below!

Delicata Squash and Farmer's Market Feast

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 delicata squash

1 zucchini

1 bag swiss chard

1 bunch beets, leaves trimmed and saved for later (to sauté!)

5 oz grass-fed beef

coconut oil

Directions:Squash:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the squash on a baking sheet and in the oven. Bake for approximately 40 minutes, or until shell is soft.

Once soft, remove from oven and cut in half. Scoop out the seeds (these can be saved for later roasting if desired!)

Flip over so the meat of the squash in facing the pan and roast for 20 minutes.

Flip over again and roast until the inside are slightly crisp on the outside, about 5 minutes.

Beets:

In a large saucepan, boil the beets for about 45 minutes.

Remove from water. Slice in half.

Place on a baking sheet and roast for about 20-30 minutes, or until completely soft on the inside.

Veggies and Steak:

In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tbsp of coconut oil.

Add veggies and cook until soft.

Remove veggies and add another tbsp of coconut oil.

Add beef and sauté until thoroughly cooked.

Serve with squash and beets! Enjoy!

That's it for now! Have a wonderful Monday, and see ya soon!

Hey, everyone! Happy Friday :)

How was everyone's week? Mine was very busy, per usual, but then again, who isn't busy these days? I feel like we constantly go from one thing to the next and never get a second to just pause. So take a second right now! Stop and think about one thing that you're grateful for in this very moment.

Pausing...Pausing..Pausing...

I want to share with you what I'm grateful for. Today, I'm grateful for this beautiful fall weather. It's 50 degrees and sunny outside. The air might be a bit chilly, but the sun will warm you up, which is the best feeling. I'm also grateful for black coffee; there are few things better than sipping a nice cup of dark roasted brew while slowly waking up. I'll admit that the bitterness is an acquired taste, but now I've come to love it and can't imagine it any other way! I'm really grateful for the love and support I feel from my family, boyfriend, and friends. I'm so lucky to have them in my life; they help me to stand tall and strong, even when I don't feel it inside.

It's always good to remember what we're grateful for, right?

Now, on to today's post. The other day, I was reading this article about a common trend in running to use ibuprofen to get through injuries and how incredibly damaging and unhealthy that is to the body and mind. While reading that article, I felt a pang of guilt because I was that runner, on an extreme level.

I remember the days when I had a very unhealthy relationship with running, the days in which I literally destroyed my body because I exceeded the amount that was healthy for me personally to run. At one point during my junior year, I increased my mileage drastically while maintaining a very restrictive diet. I remember starting to feel the pains in my lower shins. I told myself it's just shin splints, I'll recover soon enough and be on my way to even more miles per week. Well, this was dumb. My body was trying to tell me that I had exceeded my limits and that I needed to slow down, but me being the stubborn ass that I am (my family and friends can attest to this statement), I kept running.

I started out by taking one Advil every four hours and kept running. I ran despite the increasing pain in both of my shins. First, it started out dull, like an ache from being hit. Then it worsened. To remedy this, I increased my Advil; I was now taking nine Advil a day. The pains turned from dull aches into what felt like sharp knives cutting at my shins. I increased yet again, now reaching a point of 12-14 Advil per day.

Then one morning, I couldn't get out of bed. My legs killed to the point where I was biting back tears. Now, I have an extremely high pain tolerance, and I think that comes with being a distance runner. We're trained to endure pain and almost enjoy it. But when I tried to stand up to go to the bathroom that morning, I immediately fell to the ground because the pain was too much to bare. I had exceeded stress fractures and now had two broken legs. At the time, I lived on the third floor and had to be carried downstairs because I couldn't walk. To be a runner and not be able to walk down stairs, you better believe my pride was hurting. That was the "breaking" point (excuse the horrible pun). My body wasn't just screaming at me to stop, but it physically thwarted me from not listening to it anymore.

That was my cue to get help. I dragged my feet (both literally and figuratively) to an appointment with the bone doc. At this point, I was still taking 12 Advil per day just to take the edge off the pain, or else I would be in tears from the amount of agony I felt. He came in with the x-rays of my legs and showed me where the breaks were; my shins lit up like a Christmas tree. It looked like someone took a hammer to both of my legs. The doc told me that it would take at least 4-6 months to heal these breaks, and in the time between, I was to be in a wheelchair, doing no exercise. Well once again, me being the stubborn ass that I was (and still am ), I refused the wheelchair; my pride could not take another hit after my stupidity in not listening to my body when it cried out for rest. I agreed to doing a double boot and crutches.

After months of wobbling around and begrudgingly listening to my doctors (my body was singing "Hallelujah"), I finally got to take off the boots and take my first steps. I expected to feel normal, but it was still painful. By this time, I had finally gotten down to taking eight Advil per day. But why was I still in pain? My stubborn brain thought, This is easy, just take more Advil!

And so I did. As I walked more, the pain was dull, but remained the same. When I gained enough strength, I started to use the elliptical and cycling. My shins still hurt, but I fought through it (though I probably shouldn't have). I began running again prematurely, while still using Advil to kill the pain. I would take some before and after my run. This was a mistake. I may have gotten back to my old mileage, but I was still in a lot of pain and still abusing the Advil. Needless to say, I ended up re-injuring myself, now with one stress fracture.

And that was finally it. It took two serious injuries for me to finally realize I couldn't keep beating up my body like this. I was determined I wasn't going to let my stubbornness get in the way anymore. I needed to treat my body with the respect and care it deserved and so desperately needed. No more numbing the pain with Advil. No more running and overdoing it with exercise when my body should be resting. No more listening to the little voice in my head saying just one more mile when my body had reached its exhaustion point. And you know what? I finally listened to my body and it told me what I needed to do. I stopped taking Advil and I started taking rest days. My body wasn't designed to endure seven days of rigorous activity like some are. To perform best, I needed those rest days in between long runs and speed workouts. I let my body speak and you know what? It rewarded me.

I am faster, I can train harder, and I actually enjoy it more. I can now tell more accurately when my body needs a break before I reach another serious injury because Advil is not dulling my pain. What's more, I can run pain-free now, and let me tell you, it is magical. That's when my relationship with running also morphed. Running went from being a numbers thing that played with my OCD to being a therapy and an escape from my thoughts, a brief moment when my body, mind, and soul are entirely present and in tune.

So try it. Next time you want the Advil before you run, try to not have it and just run until it feels good. One of my favorite running quotes to leave you with for the weekend:

Enjoy your long run this weekend :)

Well, hello there!

How was everybody's weekend? It's Tuesday, but feels like Monday for me since I had yesterday off! It was nice to have some days off (always good to see family and hit the reset button!), but now I'm ready to get back into my routine!

I thought I'd start the week off by talking about what goes through my mind on a run. I've heard some people say that running is boring, too painful, or they need a distraction (like watching reruns of "The Office"...guilty) on the treadmill to keep them occupied. Yes, I totally agree that treadmill running sucks ass, and I too need a distraction from constantly watching the time tick by. Although I have to say, I get pretty competitive with whoever steps on the treadmill next to me. If you take that treadmill, you better believe we're racing the entire time (I'm not sorry about it).

So! This post will be a little different from my normal posts, but it's always nice to change the pace up a bit (pun intended). I know I have said this before, but running really is one of the only things that quiets my mind. It's one of the few moments during the day when I am entirely present, so I really don't have that many thoughts going through my head once I get past the first mile or two, but when I do have little weird inklings, I take note of them. I wish I was more present during the day, and I'm working towards that, but for now, I enjoy running as my "me" time, my time to recharge and reset so that I can be the best I can be during the day. Enjoy :)

Mile 0.000001

Ready, set, GO!Ooooh this feels good! I feel like I'm running on clouds, how could anyone ever hate this?!Wow, I'm going fast this is fun.Oooh look how pretty this place is! What's that over there?Man, it's dark out for 5:30. Thank God for street lights. I wonder when the sun will start rising. Probably around Mile 3.God, this feels so good. I love running!!

Mile 1

Oooh, this is a good song, I can jam to thisOkay, just breathe.Breathe.Breathe.Breathe.Ooh, another good song! This is a good playlist. I should save this playlist.Breathe. ​Breathe.

Mile 2

Mile 3

God, I love the piers. Who could ever hate this run?This place is beautiful. I love the water. I gotta move back to a beach.Ooh another runner! Smile and wave, smile and wave.Okay, relax and breathe.Breathe.Breathe.Oooh ooh another runner! Gotta beat them, okay speed up!Go, go, go!Anddddddddd the breakaway! Well played, Britt.Okay, and we're back!Silence​.

Mile 4

Silence.Silence.Silence.Wow, I'm already at Mile 4? How did that happen?Breathe. Breathe.​Breathe.

Time to go stretch!

Happy Wednesday!

I have an awesome recipe for you guys today! Remember how I said that my boyfriend cooked dinner for us on Friday night? Well, I got him to share his recipe with me so that I could let you guys in on the deliciousness. And let me tell you, you'll be shocked by how good this simple recipe is.

Presenting, the customizable spaghetti squash bowls!

These bowls are the perfect transition into October and the real fall weather! Filled with sautéed autumn veggies, baked cod, avocado and topped with an almond curry paste, this dish is packed with filling protein and good-for-you fats that help to absorb all the yummy vitamins and nutrients! Check it out below :)

Take the spaghetti squash out, and cut in half length-wise. Place the spaghetti squash back in the oven for 40 minutes (until the insides are crisp).

On the second shelf in the oven, bake the cod for 12-18 minutes.

While the spaghetti squash is baking, heat coconut oil or ghee in a medium sauté pan and cook your desired veggies.

To make the almond curry paste: in a small bowl, mix the almond butter, lemon juice, turmeric, and curry powder together with a spoon. To make thicker, add more almond butter. To make thinner, add more lemon juice.

Once the squash and fish are ready, fluff the spaghetti squash in each halved bowl. Assemble each bowl as follows: veggies, fish, half of an avocado, and a dollop of almond butter.